Dallas, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/17/2015 -- To Raleigh County, West Virginia, Dickey's Barbecue Pit is a hub for great food, friendships, and shared experiences. Owner and operator Perry McKinney has spent a lifetime among this close-knit community in Southern West Virginia, and is proud to be a born-and-bred West Virginian. He opened his first Dickey's Barbeque Franchise with business partners Patrick and Josh, and is now opening a second, with CEO Roland Dickey Jr. honoring him as a Brand Champion for his excellent work in spreading the word of great Texas barbeque.

After 40 years in manufacturing, Perry was looking for his next venture. One day over lunch at a Dickey's Barbecue Pit, his pastor and friend approached him with a business proposition. He had managed people for over thirty years, but never owned a business. From that conversation, a partnership was formed between friends and now business partners, Perry, Patrick, and Josh. The trio opened their first store in Beaver, WV, then opened another in Lewisburg, WV last month.

Having just opened his second store, Perry has built a vibrant catering business by partnering with clients such as the Kiwanis club, Lowes, and other local businesses. They hope to open their next store by 2017.

Perry loves interacting with his community and acting as a mentor to his employees, saying "It tickles me to no end that I am able to provide some sense of responsibility and income to a young person that wants to make a difference. Everybody can be a mentor. Everyone has something to teach, and can be taught as well. I believe in people and I believe in this community."

A spokesperson for Roland Dickey Jr. explained, "Perry is a fantastic example of someone seizing the opportunities we offer and making the most of our support network. From Barbecue University to grand opening support, community marketing tools and more, Perry has used the support he has received from Dickey's to great effect, thanks solely to his own tenacity, hard work and determination to make his businesses a success."

About Roland Dickey Jr.
Roland Dickey Jr. is the CEO of the Dickey's Barbeque chain of restaurants, bring slow cooked Texas barbeque to more than five hundred locations around the United States. Dickey Jr. is responsible for the company's meteoric growth, and now tours the country helping franchisees and business owners set up for success through his own consultancy and lecturing on the convention circuit.

For more information please visit: http://www.rolanddickeyjr.com/